Acts 25

1 And so, when Festus had arrived in the province, after three days, he ascended to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

Three days after Festus entered his province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

2 And the leaders of the priests, and those first among the Jews, went to him against Paul. And they were petitioning him,

The high priest and the Jewish leaders laid charges against Paul before him.

3 asking for favor against him, so that he would order him to be led to Jerusalem, where they were maintaining an ambush in order to kill him along the way.

They urged him, asking it as a favor, to send for him to Jerusalem. They meant to lay in wait for him and kill him on the way.

4 But Festus responded that Paul was to be kept in Caesarea, and that he himself would soon go there.

But Festus answered that Paul was in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there soon.

5 “Therefore,” he said, “let those among you who are able, descend at the same time, and if there is any guilt in the man, they may accuse him.”

"Let those then," he said, "who are in authority among you, go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him."

6 Then, having stayed among them no more than eight or ten days, he descended to Caesarea. And on the next day, he sat in the judgment seat, and he ordered Paul to be led in.

After staying not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day, after taking his seat upon the tribunal, he ordered Paul to be brought.

7 And when he had been brought, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, throwing out many serious accusations, none of which they were able to prove.

When he came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought a number of serious charges against him, which they could not prove.

8 Paul offered this defense: “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended in any matter.”

Paul said in his defense, "I have committed no crime against the Law of the Jews, against the Temple, or against Caesar."

9 But Festus, wanting to show greater favor to the Jews, responded to Paul by saying: “Are you willing to ascend to Jerusalem and to be judged there about these things before me?”

But Festus, wishing to ingratiate himself with the Jews, answered Paul and said, "Will you go up to Jerusalem and be tried there by me upon these charges?"

10 But Paul said: “I stand in Caesar’s tribunal, which is where I ought to be judged. I have done no harm to the Jews, as you well know.

"I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal," answered Paul, "where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you very well know.

11 For if I have harmed them, or if I have done anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying. But if there is nothing to these things about which they accuse me, no one is able to deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

"If I am a criminal and have done anything for which I ought to die, I do not object to die. But if none of their charges is true, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar."

12 Then Festus, having spoken with the council, responded: “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”

Then Festus, after conferring with the council, answered. "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go."

13 And when some days had passed, king Agrippa and Bernice descended to Caesarea, to greet Festus.

A short time after this King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.

14 And since they remained there for many days, Festus spoke to the king about Paul, saying: “A certain man was left behind as a prisoner by Felix.

And while they tarried many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king. "There is a man here," he said, "whom Felix left a prisoner.

15 When I was at Jerusalem, the leaders of the priests and the elders of the Jews came to me about him, asking for condemnation against him.

"The chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him, when I was at Jerusalem, demanding a sentence against him.

16 I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to condemn any man, before he who is being accused has been confronted by his accusers and has received the opportunity to defend himself, so as to clear himself of the charges.

I told them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give any man up for punishment, before the accused had his accusers face to face, and had opportunity of defending himself against the charges that had been brought against him.

17 Therefore, when they had arrived here, without any delay, on the following day, sitting in the judgment seat, I ordered the man to be brought.

"So when a number of them came together here, I made no delay, but the next day took my seat in the tribunal, and commanded the man to be brought.

18 But when the accusers had stood up, they did not present any accusation about him from which I would suspect evil.

"But when his accusers stood up, they did not begin charging him with any of the crimes that I was expecting,

19 Instead, they brought against him certain disputes about their own superstition and about a certain Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.

but they kept quarreling with him about certain matters connected with their own religion, and about one Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed over and over was alive.

20 Therefore, being in doubt about this kind of question, I asked him if he was willing go to Jerusalem and to be judged there about these things.

I was perplexed how to investigate such questions, and asked Paul whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.

21 But since Paul was appealing to be kept for a decision before Augustus, I ordered him to be kept, until I might send him to Caesar.”

But when Paul appealed to have his case reviewed for the decision of the Emperor, I ordered him to be detained until I could send him up to Caesar."

22 Then Agrippa said to Festus: “I myself also want to hear the man.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

"I should like to hear the man, myself," said Agrippa to Festus. Festus answered, "You shall hear him tomorrow."

23 And on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had arrived with great ostentation and had entered into the auditorium with the tribunes and the principal men of the city, Paul was brought in, at the order of Festus.

So the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and took their places in the hall of audience, accompanied by the tribunes and men of high rank in the city. At the command of Festus Paul was brought in.

24 And Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present together with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews disturbed me at Jerusalem, petitioning and clamoring that he should not be allowed to live any longer.

"King Agrippa," said Festus, "and all men who are present with us, you see here the man about whom the entire body of the Jews at Jerusalem, and here also, sent to me, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

25 Truly, I have discovered nothing brought forth against him that is worthy of death. But since he himself has appealed to Augustus, it was my judgment to send him.

"I could not find that he had done anything for which he ought to die; but as he himself has appealed to the Emperor, I have determined to send him.

26 But I have not determined what to write to the emperor about him. Because of this, I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, O king Agrippa, so that, once an inquiry has occurred, I may have something to write.

"Now I have nothing very definite to tell our sovereign about him. So I have brought the man before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, in order that, after examination, I may have something to write.

27 For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to indicate the accusations set against him.”

"For it does seem to me unreasonable to send a person without signifying the charges against him."